On the ecology of Crataerina hirundinis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in Scotland

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Abstract
During the summer of 1969, in eastern Scotland, a study was carried out on Crataerina hirundinis (L.), a flightless ectopasasite of the House martin. The environment of the hosts's nest was described. The fly was found to move actively between the nests of its host. The populations in the main study colonies (in farm cart‐sheds) were higher than in colonies on the eaves of buildings or on a cliff. Juvenile House martins were more heavily infested than the adults. Female flies predominated in the nest populations and were also found to be proportionately more common on the birds than in the nests. Feeding studies showed that female flies imbibed 4.8 mg of blood per day whereas males took 3.5 mg. Although C. hirundinis is specific to the House martin, it can also breed successfully on the Sand martin and Swallow. Ecological factors are believed to prevent these birds from being regular hosts. House sparrows cannot act as hosts.

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